From Southern Belle to Rosebud: Hockey dance team adds 2nd Rebel

corrinda-buck

By Steve Lathrop
Albany Democrat-Herald
August 25, 2010

Corrinda Buck is following in the footsteps — or, more precisely, the dance steps — of her friend Rachel Ross.

The one-time teammates on the Southern Belles dance team at South Albany High School are reuniting as members of the Rosebuds, the official dance team of the Portland Winter Hawks professional ice hockey team. Ross paved the way a year ago when she earned a spot on the Rosebuds. She gave Buck the incentive to give it a try.

“Rachel told me I should totally do it,” said Buck, 18, who graduated from South last spring. “I went to the tryouts and just did my best.”

Up against more than 50 girls at a one-day tryout in early August, Buck didn’t feel too much pressure. She credits her former schoolmate with helping her prepare.

“Rachel was great. She helped me get ready for what was coming,” Buck said.

The tryout included three dance routines and an interview with the judges. By the end of the day Buck was on the team.

She said she is one of nine new girls selected to join 13 returning dancers. Being on the team is a voluntary position, but there are some perks, including gym memberships and being paid for promotional appearances.

Since her selection, Buck has made the 80-plus mile drive to Portland for practices every Wednesday. She doesn’t mind the drive and says she will coordinate her dancing around classes at Linn-Benton Community College and her job at Hasty Freez in Albany.

She plans to attend Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls next year and study to become an ultrasound technician.

Practices are part of a routine she’s enjoyed since she entered high school. In fact, it’s a little less pressure than she expected.

“Really it’s kind of a laid-back approach. All of the girls are professionals. They already know the techniques and everyone is very supportive,” Buck said.

The workouts are about to change, though, and Buck admits she’s a little nervous about what’s coming. She’ll get her special ice dancing shoes and practices will move to the slippery surface she’s not familiar with.

“We played games on the ice to get a feel for it but actually practicing our routines on it will be something new for me,” Buck said. “We have to do all the same leaps and kicks and turns we do on the floor.”

The team will be issued new uniforms Sept. 27, the same day the season opens in the Rose Garden for the Winter Hawks.

“It’s a little scary not having done any of this on the ice and Rachel told me the ice is different almost every game,” Buck said. “But I’m still super excited. I know it will be fun.”